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For Chris Gentry, this year’s Jingle Eve event is a homecoming of sorts. The annual event will be held from 4:30pm to 9pm on November 22nd and will welcome more than 8,500 attendees to shop, stroll and drink in the neighborhood as a district-wide celebration marks the start of the holiday season. “Jingle Eve has a special place in my heart because when I opened Gentry’s Barbecue General Store on Ivanhoe Road many years ago, (Jingle Eve) was when my store really got noticed and we took off. People knew who I was and where I was,” Gentry says. “Not…

The countdown has begun for Galactic Coaster, a roller coaster set to debut at Legoland Florida in early 2026. Winter Haven Theme Park revealed details about its indoor family thrill ride during the IAAPA Expo held at the Orange County Convention Center. Rob Smith, chief operating officer of Merlin Entertainments Group, which owns Legoland, said a key element would be the ability to personalize the rides. Smith said riders will be able to select key elements of the spacecraft, including its nose, tail, wings and color. This is made possible by the wristband’s RFID technology. “When you board the spacecraft…

For the past few years, the U.S. Department of Labor has reported that the largest job growth in the job market has been in health care.But industry analysts say there remains a nationwide nursing shortage. So some states are trying to attract more people by offering higher salaries. College ranking site Research.com analyzed official data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to find out where nurses earn the most. They compared the median annual wage in all 50 states and the number of registered nurses employed in each state.In some states, such as California, nurses’ salaries exceed $100,000.Despite official…

Florida Democratic Rep. Sheila Chafferas McCormick has been indicted by the federal government on charges that she orchestrated a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme involving FEMA disaster relief funds and funneled illegal contributions to her political campaign, prosecutors said. Federal investigators allege that the congressman stole more than $5 million intended for disaster relief programs and diverted the funds through a network of fake nonprofits and private associates. Prosecutors say the scheme included submitting fraudulent reimbursement claims to FEMA for community relief projects that were never implemented or greatly overstated. The indictment alleges that the congressman then diverted some of the stolen…

I’m not sure what to call this cookie. Because that’s what we make, it’s been just oatmeal cookies for about 20 years. They use dried cranberries instead of raisins. Because all the people in the world who have been hurt by raisins have hurt me with raisin trauma. not much. I love dried cranberries. This seasonal warm cookie is colorful and autumn-like, and goes perfectly with the ginger served with it. There’s an obvious name you could give these cookies (hint: it rhymes with oatmeal raisin), but unfortunately that name is trademarked, so you don’t want to get in trouble.…

Sunrise, Fla. – Fanatics, a provider of authentic National Hockey League (NHL) and NHL outfits, today announced the Discover NHL Winter Classic uniforms that the reigning two-time Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers will wear when they take on the New York Rangers on January 2, 2026 at Lawndepot Park in Miami. This matchup will make NHL history as the southernmost outdoor matchup in league history and will mark the 17th NHL Winter Classic since the tradition began in 2008. The Panthers’ NHL Winter Classic uniforms pay homage to Florida’s hockey history and local military ties. The jersey features a vintage…

Next week is Black Friday, and the Federal Trade Commission compared data on the average number of quarterly fraud reports per 100,000 residents over three years to reveal which states are most at risk of being scammed on Black Friday. Florida ranks 5th among states with the highest risk of being scammed on Black Friday. This is 24% higher than the national average, highlighting Florida as a state at risk for fraud during sales. Over the three years analyzed, there were a total of 452,222 fraud reports in Florida. The average loss per reported victim was a hefty $650.59 per…

Epic Universe, Central Florida’s newest theme park and Universal Orlando Resort’s newest expansion, is the recipient of four Thea Awards, a global honor bestowed by the Themed Entertainment Association. Epic Universe, which opened to the public in May, was praised for Outstanding Achievement in Theme Park category at the Thea Awards. How to Train Your Dragon – Berk Island Area won the theme park land category. Epic’s dark ride “Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment” was recognized in the Attraction category, and the immersive “Harry Potter and the Battle of the Ministry” was praised as an outstanding ride experience. In addition,…

The Florida Department of Insurance Regulation announced that the top five major auto insurance companies will lower their premiums by an average of 6.5% this year. State Farm recently announced a 10% reduction in car rates. Progressive Insurance also offers customers savings on their auto insurance premiums. Since January 2024, 17 new insurance companies have entered the Sunshine State market and 33 have applied for rate reductions. This is the third time in two years that State Farm has announced rate reductions, which the company says are more than 20%. The insurance industry says recent moves by these companies show…

SeaWorld Orlando has unveiled the rides for the upcoming SEAQuest: Legends of the Deep. This ride is an indoor attraction that allows you to experience a simulated underwater experience while moving forward and swinging from side to side. The vehicle, unveiled Tuesday on the exhibit floor at the IAAPA Expo at the Orange County Convention Center, recreates the behavior of a submarine without the cramped quarters. Open-air vehicles are suspended from rails using gravity to assist in programmed movement. “We’re really excited about all of the dynamics,” said Connor Kerr, corporate vice president of rides and engineering for United Parks…